Built of yellow stucco atop a rocky ledge, the Hotel Royal Positano looks out over the bay. Set back from the road by a path and gardens, the entrance is beautiful, with stone-paved walkways, ivy climbing the terrace walls, and lots of flowers. However, the interior of the hotel is dated and in need of a renovation -- particularly the hallway carpets, which are threadbare and stained, and upholstery throughout. It's also a bit confusing to navigate: To get to the room, guests have to take an elevator down, but then go up stairs again to get to their floor. That being said, Positano is notorious for being expensive, and the property is much cheaper than others in the area. One of the managers commented that they had an "honest" price policy, and that about sums it up. 

Those who aren't able to maneuver stairs might want to look elsewhere: The staircase leading down to town is around 400 steps, but that comes with the territory of booking into a hillside town. However, the public bus, which stops outside the hotel, can take guests back up to the property. The center of Positano (about 10 minutes down those stairs) offers plenty of restaurants. Although there's not a ton to do in town, the hotel is well-situated for town-hopping along the coast. Amalfi is an hour by bus (40 minutes by car), and Ravello is an hour and a half by bus (an hour by car). 

For guests looking to head farther away, Pompeii is about an hour away by car and three by public transit. Naples' airport is about an hour and a half by car and four by public transit. For those arriving by train, the station is seven minutes by taxi. 

The hotel's 77 rooms pull the colors of the Mediterranean coastline into their decor; unfortunately, the rooms are dated, which means a lot of peach, seafoam green, and brass accents. Standard rooms are very simple, but those with kids will find the family studio room very spacious. Most notable is that all rooms have furnished outdoor spaces, and a majority have pretty vistas of the sea. Each room offers an in-room safe, small flat-screen TV (though the vast majority of channels are in Italian), and mini-fridge (stocked only with two waters). It's one of a handful of hotels in Positano that offers air-conditioning. 

Bathrooms, decorated with green-tile walls and marble countertops, have bidets, toiletries, and hairdryers, though showers are small (typical in Italy). There aren't coffee- or tea-making facilities. Guests on the third floor might hear noise from the bar and restaurant upstairs; those who are light sleepers would do well to request a room on a different level. 

The property's bar and restaurant, La Terrazza, gets mixed reviews for its food, and the windowless dining room is large but dated with linen-skirted tables. Breakfast is free and offers meats, cheeses, cereal, and fresh croissants with fruit laid out in wooden crates. The place to dine or enjoy a drink is the terrace, with plenty of cheerful flowers and views of the bay. 

A huge outdoor pool has gorgeous views of the bay, but guests should note that wearing a swim cap is mandatory (you can purchase one on-site for a nominal fee). On the plus side, it helps to keep the pool clean. Plenty of loungers surround the pool and are also located off to its side on a terrace. There's also a tennis court outside that can also double as a soccer field, as well as a playground. Wi-Fi is free but patchy.